"Don’t let perfect be the enemy of the good -- or the great. You should see my ‘no’ pile. It’s high. Very high. When people turn me down and I think the idea’s a good one, it makes me angry. Let me clarify that. Doesn’t make me angry. Makes me motivated.

"In my experience, it’s not the people into money, money, money that make the real money. It’s the ones who understand the technology, and they form their company around that. If they’re right, the money follows."

Wilder is the founder of Encinitas, Calif.-based WilderShares, which includes the billion-dollar Clean Energy Portfolio (PBW) and half a dozen other exchange-traded funds.

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